Eurotopics.net

The high number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is fighting radical Islamic Hamas, is drawing growing criticism from the international community. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority more than 13,000 people have already been killed. Israel has stressed that it wants to avoid civilian casualties, but that the tunnels where Hamas is hiding hostages as well as weapons and supplies run under civilian facilities. Europe's press reflects the widespread controversy.

Sam Altman is no longer CEO of software company OpenAI, which developed the AI chatbot ChatGPT. One of the main faces of the AI boom, Altman, 38, is moving to Microsoft, with CTO Mira Murati replacing him at OpenAI on an interim basis. Among the official reasons for his departure Altman is said to have "not been consistently candid in his communications" with the board of directors. Commentators suspect a dispute over principles.

The number of flights in Europe was even higher this year than before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, because flight emissions contribute to global warming there is an ongoing debate about how flying should be regulated to protect the climate. In France and the Netherlands, restrictions to this end have now been reversed - much to commentators' dismay.

Pedro Sánchez remains Spain's prime minister after 179 out of 350 MPs voted on Thursday in favour of a government led by Sánchez's PSOE and the leftist Sumar alliance. The slim majority was also secured thanks to the promise of an amnesty for Catalan separatists, something the opposition and hundreds of thousands of Spaniards have protested against. Europe's press is divided.